Girl Seeks a Priest's Arrest.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 50, 29 February 1896, Page 1 (Supplement)

Girl Seeks a Priest's A rrest.

Charges Him With Setting Hia Dog at Hee to GiEt Her Back in His Fold.

Annik O'Bkien, seventeen yoare old, who lives with hor parents at No. 21 Rush-street, Brooklyn, New York, wont bo the Loo Avenue Police Court to swear out a warrant for the arrest of the Rev. Mattfaia3 Yodyszsus, pastor of St. George's Lithuanian Catholic Church. She churgea that the priest set his big St. Bernard dog Bismarck on her to try to iubimidato bur into returning to his church.

Father Yodyezsue wonb to Brooklyn eight years ago and took charge of the Lithuanian Church there. He claimed thab as his parish extended throughout New York and New Jersey and i»ito Pennsylvania ho need not recognise the Bishop of Brooklyn or any of the bishops of tho different dioceses over which his parish extended, and he said ho received his orders from the Church in Lithuania.

Ho had trouble with his parishionors. They charged him with being dissipated, and he was onco fined £2 by Juatica Goetting for beintr intoxicated in the public streets. His parishioners protested againsb his independence, and wanted the church to be under the guidance of Bishop McDonnell. Refused to Recognise Him.

Father Yodyszsus would not comply wibn the requirements of the Catholic Church, and waa not recognised. Rocenblyi under the directiou of Bishop McDonnell. St. Mary's Church of the Angel of Heaven was established in the old Methodist Church building, ab Grand-streob and Drigga Avenue, for the Lithuanian Catholics of Brooklyn, who have been attending mass in different churches since bhey decided to leave the church presided over by Father Yodyszsus. The choir of St. George's Chuich went in a body to the new. church. The girl who made the complaint yesterday ia a member ot tho choir.

She told Justice Gootfcing thab the choir was to assemble for practice at tho home of the organist. She and two other girls— Annie Schultz and Annie Wichelien—were in the organist's parlour waiting for the others of the choir when Father Yodyez^us walked in.

'Ho held his hand out for us to kies,' said Annie, 'as we used to when we went to his church, bub we would not kiss his hand and we turned our backs on him. Thon he asked me why I did nob come to his church last Sunday, and I told him I had joined the new church, which was sanctioned by the Bishop. ' lie told me to come to where he stood. I refused, and he said to hia big dog, which was with him, " Seize her !" • The dog rushed toward me. Father Yodyazsua held him by the collar, but the dog was close to me and growled. I was frightened. Then Father Yodyezsus told the dog to lie down and drew my arm around him and put his arm around my wftist. I was too frightened to pull away from him. He told me I mueb come back to his church.

'Then he walked over to Annie Schultz, and while the dog stood by threateningly he caressed her. I ran to the hall and called the organist. He detained Father Yodyszsua while we three girls ran to the street. We stood in the rain until the organist brought our hats and cloaks dovvi^ and advised us to go home.'